Tool for turning threaded container caps



Jan. 4, 1949. D. J. LQUDFOOT 5 TOOL FOR TURNING THREADED CONTAINER CAPS Filed Aug. 29, 1947 INVENTOR fihwa J1 000F007 BY c w w ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 4, 1949 TOOL FOR TURNING THREADED CONTAINER CAPS David J. Loudfoot, Springfield, Mass.

Application August 29, 1947, Serial No. 771,184

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved tool for hand use in turning threaded caps or tops on containers and has for its object the provision of a simplified construction of this type of device.

A further and particular object of this invention is to provide a hand operated tool readily manipulated by the user and which will provide by the particular arrangement of elements a yielding cushioned contact of operative parts when in use to the end that said tool will be less subject to breakage and the necessity for repair.

How this and other related objects of my invention are provided will best be understood from a consideration of the following description of an embodiment of said invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tool with a portion of the handle cut away to show the form thereof; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the handle turned to operative position on a screw cap.

With reference to the drawings, the tool comprises a handle I and a length of cord 2 which is preferably provided with a frictional surface so as to tightly grip the usual metal jar cap or top when the same is encircled by a loop of the cord.

As shown the handle is in the form of a metallic channel bar having side sections 3 aud t and a central connecting panel strip 5. Adjacent one end of the handle are three aligned openings 6, l and 8 cut in the strip 5. It will :be noted that the central opening I is larger than the other openings and located nearer the outer opening 8.

One end of the frictional cord 2 is passed through the outer opening 8, the other end through opening 6. Each end is tied in the handle by knotting the same as indicated at 9 and Ill. The intermediate portion of the cord is then threaded through the central opening 1, the short end portion of the cord adjacent the knot ID being turned to lie across the surface between openings 8 and l.

The intermediate portion of cord between openings I and 6 is adapted to form a loop II for the encirclement of a jar top or screw top indicated in dotted lines by the letter a (Fig. 2). The remainder of the cord provides at the back side of the handle I an adjustable length I 2 for the enlargement or contraction of the loop H as will be readily understood. The cord length 12 may be held by the hand to lie along the handle I when the latter is turned in using the tool.

It will be appreciated from a consideration of Fig. 2 that when the handle is turned to an operative position that the support or fulcrum, about which the handle I as a lever turns to move the screw top, is at a point I) on the cord lying between the outer and central openings. Thus a cushioned contact is afforded which results in a minimum of wear on the frictional cord. It will be noted further from a consideration of Fig. 2 that the handle with the short portion of cord provides no sharp edges for points about which the handle turns as a pivot and that the action is rather a pushing circular motion in the direction in which it is desired to turn the cap. This angular direction with respect to the cap is indicated by the arrow in Fig, 2. The cap of course may be turned either to the right or left to remove the same when it is tightly secured, or to securely fasten it on the container as desired.

The cord 2 receives the greatest amount of wear in the device at or near each end thereof and by constructing the tool in this way any breakage in the cord at those two locations can easily be repaired by passing the loose end through the adjacent opening and knotting said end in the channel section. Thus the frictional cord 2 may be used many times over before being entirely discarded. Each breakage shortens the cord but an inch or two at the most.

Having described my invention and its sev eral advantages, I claim:

A tool for turning screw caps comprising a handle in the form of a channel bar having three aligned openings adjacent one end thereof and cut in the central panel of the bar, the central opening being of larger diameter than the others and located adjacent the outer of said openings, and a length of cord provided with a frictional surface having the ends thereof passing through said outer and inner openings, said ends being knotted in the channel of said bar, the intermediate portion of said cord being threaded through said central opening with the short end portion of cord adjacent the outeropenlng lying inuse.

DAVID J. LOUDFOOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 285,048 Liljencrantz Sept. 18, 1883 784,467 Braunschweiger Mar. 7, 1905 961,894 Peters June 21, 1910 10 1,516,240 Osterberg Nov. 18, 1924 Hodson Oct. 20, 1936 

